Victoria council recently presented the Ġieħ il-Belt Victoria award to a number of Gozitan missionaries as part of the activities marking Victoria Day, which this year happens to mark the 125th anniversary of the city.

The presentation, by Victoria mayor Samuel Azzopardi, took place at the Public Library in Victoria.

Heading the list of the awardees was Dun Ġorġ Grima, founder of the Ġesu fil-Proxxmu missionary movement.

Others on the list were Augustinian Fr Adeodat Schembri, who works in Brazil, Guatemala missionary Fr Anton Grech, Fr George Attard, OFM Conv., who used to work in India, Augustinian Fr Peter Paul Cachia, who works in Algeria, Sister Josepha Gauci of the Fransiscans of the Heart of Jesus who worked in Ethopia, Australia and now in Nairobi, Sister Marcellina Tabone, who worked in Pakistan where she was murdered in 1997, Sister Victoria Muscat of the Sisters of Mother Teresa, who worked in the UK, Australia and the Philippines and now in Rome, Bro Mario Zammit of the Freres, who besides Malta, has worked in Nigeria, Pakistan Indonesia and now in Thailand and Jesuit Fr Joseph Mizzi, who worked in Eygpt for several years.

Violinists Pierre Louis and Jean Attard, accompanied on the piano by their father Colin, took part.